Ava
by Chocolatelover2001
Summary: "My name is Ava, call me anything else and I'll punch you." she said. "Alright mini-may, what can you do?" Clint asked. "I can do this." she replied, showing him her abilities. "I'm also a supersoldier." "Well, you and Steve'll get along great." / A new Avenger, a 14 year old, joins the team. This is her story.
1. Chapter 1

Clint walked into the room, aiming a gun, when he was greeted by a teenage girl, staring at him with piercing gray eyes. "Who are you and what are you doing here?" she asked, and she was in a cage. She was medium height with medium toned skin and long black hair.

"I'm here to take down this base. The name's Hawkeye." he said, letting her out.

She cracked her neck. "Hah. NICE TRY!" she shouted at a camera in the corner.

"Listen. I'm a good guy. I'm here to get you out of here."

"You're going to have to be more convincing than that. You've tried this already." she said, laughing. "I'm not stupid."

"Kid, I don't have time for this." he muttered, grabbing her arm, when she turned to metal and wrenched her arm away.

He rolled his eyes and shot an arrow behind her, missing purposefully. It exploded on contact with the wall and she turned around, shocked. While she was turned around he put her in a chokehold and waited until she went unconscious, then picked her up and ran out the building.

They went back to the plane and Clint put her down.

"So you actually are a good guy." she muttered.

"How are you conscious so fast?"

"Super soldier." she said.

"Wow. You and Steve will get along great."

"where are you taking me?" she asked.

"Avenger's Tower." he replied.

She stayed silent.

"What can you do, mini cavalry?" Clint asked, as they walked back into the tower.

"I can do this." she said, taking a deep breath and turning to mist. Then she reformed and turned into steel, then she went back to normal.

"My eyes used to be brown. Then this happened." she said. "And who's the cavalry?"

"Melinda May." Clint replied. "You remind me of her. Let's go meet everyone else." he said.

"Kay." She said, popping a bubble in her gum. They walked in and Steve raised an eyebrow.

"This is the powered individual?" he asked.

"Yup. Name's Ava." she answered.

"Any last name?" Natasha asked.

"No." she responded nonchalantly. "Do you have a gym here?" she asked.

"You do realize where you are right? Of course we have a gym. What do you take me for?" Tony asked.

"Of course. I was just asking."

"Why?"

"It's called manners, maybe you should learn some." She replied. "Yo J! Where's my room at?" she called out. The rest of the avengers were shocked. She's basically a mixture of Tony and Natasha miniaturized and different looking.

"Upstairs, 52nd floor is yours."

"An entire floor? Well that's a minor upgrade." she said.

"Where were you living before?"

"The streets of New York." she said. "Since the Chitauri invasion."

Steve winced and she rolled her eyes. "Don't get a big head. It wasn't your fault. I was on the streets of Brooklyn before. Never had a home to begin with." she said. "And don't give me that look. I'm fine. I don't care." she said.

None of them believed her.

"I'm going downstairs to work out. I'll be back later." she said, going downstairs.

"She's hiding something." Vision said.

"No really?" Clint asked.

"Steve should go ask. You're the most approachable." Natasha said.

"I think Wanda would be the most approachable. They're fairly close in age too." he disagreed.

"Okay." she said, going downstairs.

"Hello Ava." she greeted.

"I'm not going to tell you anything." Ava replied.

"Why do you think I'm here to ask you something?" Wanda replied.

"Because. I heard your conversation." she replied.

"How?"

"Super soldier serum." she replied. She punched the punching bag hard, causing it to swing off the hook and land on the back wall, a large hole in the center.

"How?" Wanda asked.

"Experiments." she said, grabbing another bag.

"Use Steve's." Wanda interjected. "It'll hold your strength."

"Are you sure?"

"He'll be fine."

"If you say so." she agreed, grabbing it and putting it up easily, not being bothered at all by the weight.

Steve walked downstairs and saw her using his punching bag. He looked at Wanda questioningly.

"She's a super soldier." she said.

"How?" he asked.

"Experiments." Ava replied through gritted teeth.

"Who?" Wanda asked.

"Hydra. Where did you think Clint found me?" she asked.

"I don't know." Wanda said.

"Well, he didn't find me in a luxury mansion." she said, and not for the first time they both noticed how she tried to hide the fact that she has nothing but muscle, which was probably only there because of the serum. There was no fat anywhere on her. She was literally skin muscle and bone.

(ONE MONTH LATER)

Ava was still not used to living in the tower with a bunch of other people. She was glad nobody had tried to get her secrets out, but she also didn't really know how to interact with them.

"Hey. How are you doing?" Steve asked.

She looked at him. He had been particularly persistent in trying to get her to interact with everyone. From what she could tell, he was the leader.

"I'm fine." she said.

"You know, it's Thanksgiving today." he said.

"It's what?" she asked, looking at him confused.

"You've never heard of thanksgiving?"

" . . . No. should I have?"

He came in and sat next to her. "Thanksgiving is an American holiday where we gather with friends and family and eat together and show thankfulness for the people in our lives." he said.

"I don't have a family." she said.

"Well you have friends, come on. We're attempting to cook right now. I can cook a little, so can Wanda and Natasha and Clint." he said.

"I can't cook."

"Don't be boring. Come on." he said, standing up.

She stared up at him. "Why do you even bother?"

"Because you need to socialize. You were fine the first few days and after that you haven't even left this room. Come on. Let's go." He said, grabbing her hands and pulling her up.

She gave him a look. "Do I have to?"

"Well, I was hoping you'd come willingly but yes. Yes you do."

"I have a choice you know."

"Not this time you don't." he said, gesturing to the door. She rolled her eyes.

"And if I say no?"

"I'll get Natasha in here and she can get you to join us."

"why? Can't do it yourself?"

"I can. I don't want to and Natasha will be quicker anyway."

"Why don't you want to? Because I'm a girl?"

"Because you're a kid."

"I can take you down any day." she said, narrowing her eyes at him.

"Yeah?"

In a split second she had him flipped on his back, and her knee, now metal, pressing against his chest and a knife at his throat. "Yeah." she said, her eyes glinting.

He smirked and flipped her off, and she vaporized and appeared on her feet, but he was already back on his feet with her knife at her throat. "Touché." she muttered as he moved away.

"So? Are you coming or not?"

"Fine, I'll make a deal. We spar. If I win, I don't have to do this. If you win, I'll come willingly." she said.

He nodded. "Okay, and if I win, you have to come train with everyone every day for a month." he said.

She narrowed her eyes at him, but was fairly confident she could beat him, so she nodded. "Deal." she said, holding her hand out.

He shook it. He knew he would win this. She has power and strength, but she doesn't know how to strategize. He noticed this when she attacked him. She doesn't adapt her fighting style according to her opponent. And she doesn't have experience. He doesn't know how long she's had the serum, but he's estimating not long, considering she relies more heavily on her other abilities.

She gestured to the door. "Let's go then." she said.

He smirked. He knew she thought she would win, it was plainly written on her face. "It's not too late to back out."

"You're a softy. I can back out whenever I want. Not that I will." she called back.

He shook his head. "You're insane. Are you sure you don't want to eat first?"

"No no no. You're not going to trick me into doing that."

"Pity."

"So Natasha and Bruce?" she asked.

"Yeah." Steve replied. "What about them?"

"They're together, aren't they?"

"Yes. Why?"

She shook her head. "I don't like them together. Not one bit. They're totally incompatible." she said.

"How would you know? You spend all your time holed up in your room."

"Your point? I don't need to leave that room to get all the dirt on everyone."

They walked into the kitchen where everyone else was. "Would you look at that! Her royal majesty decides to grace us with her presence." Clint teased.

She rolled her eyes. "We made a deal. If I beat him I don't have to do thanksgiving, or whatever it's called. If he beats me then I don't get a choice." she said.

"Well good luck. I don't think you'll beat cap." Tony said.

"Hm. I think she could do it. She is a super soldier after all." Natasha mused.

"And a shapeshifter." Wanda added.

"She doesn't have experience."

"I'm still here." Ava said. "And I have plenty of experience. You don't know anything about me." she said. And then she saw the pie. It looked so good, with creamy pumpkin filling and perfectly swirled whipped cream on top. Suddenly her stomach started growling.

"Well, we were going to start eating now. Why don't we eat together and then you can spar." Clint suggested.

"No. that was the condition." Ava protested.

"I can see it in your eyes. You want some." Tony said amused.

She looked at him defiantly. "No. I don't."

"Yes you do." Natasha agreed.

She rolled her eyes, but kept them trained on the pie as it was moved to the table.

Steve laughed behind her and she jumped, forgetting he was there. "You're practically eating it with your eyes." he said.

She hesitated. She hasn't eaten in front of them, actually eaten, ever before. She's a super soldier, she eats a lot. And by a lot, she means a lot. She burns through everything so fast that she needs to eat ten times as much as the normal person. So she's starving.

"You're not eating enough." Steve whispered, knowing that she would hear it even though there was a foot of distance between them.

"What are you talking about?" she whispered back, almost inaudibly.

"You're a super soldier. You need to eat more. You'll get sick if you don't."

She glanced at him. "You can't trick me."

He shook his head slightly. "I'm not trying to. Eat. Sparring will take up a lot of energy anyway. And I don't plan on going easy on you."

She sighed, hearing her stomach rumble, and she knew he heard it too, because of the smirk on his face. "Fine." she muttered.

"Stupid people. Stupid hunger. Stupid stupid stupid." she grumbled, sitting down.

Steve gave her an amused look. "I saw you eyeing the pie. I'm sure that's not stupid." he said.

She glared at him. "What's your problem?"

He raised his eyebrows. "I don't have one. Do you?"

"Yes! Why are you so persistent! Can't you send me to jail or something instead of forcing me to _talk_ to people. I _hate_ people. I hate being social! I hate all of it! In fact, I would be great with solitary confinement! Maybe then I'll go certifiably insane instead of only questionably sane so I will never have to talk to people again! Do you know what it's like, to not have contact with people except for _torture_ for seven years straight? I didn't think so! Well let me tell you, it sucks! I just want the food and then I'm going back upstairs." she said, grabbing the pie and walking out.

"Hold on a second! You can't just take the whole pie!" Steve protested.

"The hell I can't! I can and I will!" she replied, making a run for it.

"Kid, you'll get some. Relax." Steve said, looking at her.

"Don't call me kid Rogers."

"Oooh using the last name. Watch out capsicle." Tony said.

"Just hand over the pie." Steve said cautiously.

She glowered at him. "Never." she said, running again. He ran after her, catching up quickly. They may both be enhanced, but he has longer legs.

He grabbed the pie and held it up higher than she could reach. "No."

she glared and disappeared and appeared again sitting on top of his shoulders, grabbed the pie, and reformed back on the ground with the pie in hand.

"HA." she said, smirking.

"Oh come on! That's not fair."

"Neither is your height advantage. Sucks to be you." she said.

He glanced around and saw the perfect plan. He grabbed a plate, a plastic plate, and threw it like he would throw his shield, letting it bounce off the wall and head towards her face. He knew she had good reflexes and would avoid it, which is exactly what he was hoping for.

She turned into metal and brought her hands up to catch it instinctively, and while she was off guard, Steve snatched the pie and slammed the button to turn the power inhibitors on.

She glared. "Give me the pie."

"No."

"Yes." she said, reaching for it, but he held it away from her.

She was hungry now, really hungry, and she was ready to do pretty much anything for that pie. Not to mention she was kind of sort of having fun, not that she would admit it.

She grabbed his arm and flipped him onto his back, grabbing the pie as it flew into the air and holding it with her metal hand. He grabbed her leg and twisted it, not painfully, causing her to flip over onto her back and he got up quickly, grabbing the pie. Everyone else was watching this with great interest.

She kicked up, causing him to lose balance momentarily and let her grab the pie, when he sweepkicked under her and she fell, dropping the pie, which Steve grabbed.

She aimed a punch at him, to which he narrowly avoided. She aimed another, again nearly missed, cornering him. She managed to grab the pie by faking right and going left, when Steve decided to end it, using the most successful move he knew.

He tickled her and she screamed. "WHAT THE HELL! STOP- AH- THAT- TICKLES- STOP!" she shrieked, the pie falling as she fell, and she and Steve both dived for it, but ended up missing, leaving the pie splattered on the floor.

Steve held out his hand and she took it, getting up. He nodded. "Good training exercise. You need to work on defending your legs. Varying your tactics. You don't seem to cover your six all that much either. We'll work on it." he said. "There's three more in the fridge, come on."

"But you didn't win."

"Neither did you. And it looks like you wanted that." he pointed out.

"Touché." she muttered.

(A FEW MONTHS LATER)

"Hey Ava. Press conference here in a bit. The world wants to meet you!" Tony said, walking into the open room.

"Can you tell the world to go away?" she asked.

"No I can't. Well I can, but I don't want to." he said.

"Do I have to change?" she asked.

"Yes. Business casual." he replied.

"Ugh fine." she muttered. She got up and walked over to the closet, grabbed a loose flowy button up white dress shirt and threw it on like a cardigan over her black tank top and tight jeans.

"Ready." she said.

"Are you going to button it up? And maybe wear some slacks." he said.

"Nope." She said, popping the p.

Tony rolled his eyes. "You know, they're not going to take you seriously like that." he said.

She smiled mischievously. "You think they'll take me serious if I'm made of metal?"

"Ava!"

"I'm fine like this, and honestly, I'm not hurting you by wearing this. Cap would tell you that you're infringing my liberties." She said.

"Okay. Let's go ask him. Capsicle!" he called.

"What do you want Tony?" Steve asked, walking in.

"Can you make her royal highness here wear business casual?" he asked.

"No." he replied. "Why don't you want to anyway?" he asked Ava.

"Because. I'm comfortable like this." she said. "Be glad I'm not wearing shorts. Or sweats. Oh sweats sound really nice right about now." she said.

"You're strange." Tony muttered, leaving. "You have custom silk shirts from France and you want to wear the trashy tank top."

"My tank tops are not trashy. They're just not high end." she objected.

"Anyway, Steve, guess what Natasha bought me?" Ava asked him.

"What?" he asked.

She walked over to her closet and pulled out the black tank top with the avengers logo written out in white. "Oh and she got me these!" and she pulled out a pair of sweats with Steve's shield on the side. He rolled his eyes.

"Why?" he asked.

"Because. Natasha thought she would buy them but she didn't want to wear them. She said it would be amusing to pretend to be one of those fangirls that's 30 years younger than you." she said.

"I'm not even thirty years old yet." Steve said, smiling.

"20."

"That means they're six."

"Okay, 10." she relented.

"That's still slightly creepy." he said, laughing.


	2. Chapter 2

(A MONTH LATER)

The Avengers were sitting in a room with Fury, discussing what to do with Ava. They all enjoyed her company and would even consider her a friend at this point. The initial plan was to keep her with the Avengers because SHIELD was down, and with her powers and where they found her, nobody wanted to leave her by herself. She wouldn't make it out there alone.

But now, two months later, they had to make a decision. Either she leaves, or she becomes a permanent member of the Avengers team.

"She's definitely capable of it." Natasha said.

"I agree. I don't see why she can't join the team." Clint said.

"She's really young, and honestly, she has anger issues." Bruce said, shrugging.

"That's funny banner, coming from you." Fury deadpanned.

"I'm just saying that as nice as she is, how reliable is she when we're actually in the field?"

"How reliable are _you_?" Steve asked, raising his eyebrows. "I say we let her join."

"I'm down. Mini may can hold her own against capsicle, I think she's fine." Tony agreed.

"Vote?" Steve suggested. Everyone agreed except Bruce.

"Well, there we go. Now let's see if she even wants to join the team." Tony said.

They asked JARVIS to ask Ava to meet them in the room, and a few minutes later, she arrived.

"Ava, how do you feel about permanently joining the Avengers team?" Steve asked. She didn't answer immediately.

She looked around the room before her gaze settled on Fury again. "Who's the pirate?" she asked.

"Nick Fury. Nice to meet you." Fury said.

"Ava . . . Although I guess you already know that. So you want me to join the team? Really?"

"Yeah." Clint said. "Are you up for that?"

"What happens if I say no?"

"You'll probably be sent to stay with a shield approved family so you can have a somewhat normal life."

She scoffed. "Yeah, okay. Like that'll happen. I'd rather live on the streets again than live with some strangers and expect to treat them like parents."

"What do you have against parents?" Steve asked, amused.

"Nothing. I'm just not going to go willingly to live somewhere where I have to follow a bunch of strangers rules and be respectful and all that crap. It's not worth it."

"So you're joining the team?" Natasha asked.

She shrugged. "Why not?"

"You could die." Bruce pointed out.

"Who would miss me?" she replied. "I'll do it."

(AGE OF ULTRON PARTY SCENE)

"Ava, Thor. Thor, Ava." Steve introduced. "Thor is asgardian. Ava is the newest addition to the team."

"Cool. Is that a giant hammer?" she asked.

"Yes, this is the mighty mjolnir." Thor said.

She looked at him weirdly. "Do you always talk like a medieval knight?"

"I don't know what you're talking about." He replied, walking away.

Ava found herself alone again in a few minutes, so she grabbed a chair and sat down, rubbing her head tiredly.

"I haven't seen you around here before." she heard someone say from next to her. She opened her eyes and looked at the guy who spoke. He was a younger guy, maybe in his early twenties, who was smiling at her in a way that she guessed was meant to be charming. "I'm Aiden." he introduced.

She looked at him disinterestedly. She admitted he was attractive, but he was too old for her and she didn't know him at all. "That's nice." she said.

"Your name is?" He pressed.

"Well you're persistent, aren't you? My name is Ava." she said.

"Don't worry, I'm not a creep. I'm just bored and you look like the closest person to my age here." he said, smiling.

"How old are you?" she asked.

"19." he replied. "You?"

"16. Too young to drink, which is disappointing. I wish I was in England right now." she said.

"Me too. So how do you know the Avengers?"

"I am one." she replied, smirking. He looked at her surprised.

"Really?"

"Yep. I'm a new member though. How about you?"

"My dad is a business partner of Starks. Oh, speaking of. There he is, drunk. I should probably take him home. Well, it was nice meeting you Ava."

"Nice meeting you too, Aiden." she replied, smiling.

By this time everyone had cleared out and it was just the Avengers left. She walked up to where everyone was, and they were all trying to lift the hammer.

Steve managed to lift it a few inches, but it was still too heavy. "You say whoever lifts the hammer rules Asgard?" Ava asked.

Thor nodded. "You are welcome to try." he said.

She grinned and approached the hammer, getting a good grip on it, when it just lifted right off the table, as light as a pencil. She looked at it, holding it at different angles as everyone looked at her stunned. "Well, Thor, guess we're co-ruling Asgard." she said, laughing.

He gaped. "This is not possible. Only the worthy can lift it."

"Guess Im worthy."

"It's impossible."

Ava pointed the hammer at him. "Nope. Seems possible."

"Do not point my own hammer at me!"

Ava poked him with it and he looked at her crossly. She grinned. "I hear you can make lighting appear out of nowhere."

"I _am_ the god of lightning." he grumbled. She handed back the hammer.

"Show me." she said. Steve groaned and Clint sighed.

"Oh you've done it now." he said, shaking his head. Thor looked at him indignantly.

"What is that supposed to mean?"

"Nothing, nothing. We're just going to have lightning crackling for the rest of the night and your alreayd huge ego is going to inflate 20 fold." Tony said, waving his hand disinterestedly.

"Yeah, because you're one to talk about over-inflated egos." Ava pointed out.

"I'll take a shot to that." Natasha said.

"You'll take a shot to anything." Clint commented, taking a shot himself.

(FAST FORWARD TO WHEN ROSS VISITED THE COMPOUND TO TELL EVERYONE ABOUT THE SOKOVIA ACCORDS)

Everyone looked guilty and sad except for Ava. "Stop it." she said as Ross kept going with the slides. He paid no heed, continuing.

"That's enough." Steve said, and this time Ross stopped.

"So what? You listen to him and not me?" Ava asked, clearly ticked off.

"You're still young." he said. Now Ava was seething.

"I'm still young, but I've been through more than you have in less than half the time, considering you're ancient. And I'm still capable of everything that everyone else in this room is capable of." she said.

"And this, is why we need the Sokovia Accords to keep you all in line." he said.

"You were trying to get her angry." Steve interjected.

"No. She has anger issues." Ross replied.

"You were doubting her capabilities." Steve countered once more.

"So she's a kid when it's in your best interests only? Man, that's messed up." Sam asked.

"She still is an Avenger, and she still threatened my life."

"Hold up. I was telling you what I'm capable of, not threatening you. I'm 16 not stupid." Ava said.

"Of course you're not. But we still need regulations in place." he said.

"We need some time to discuss this." Steve said.

Ross nodded and he and his people left the room.

"This is for the good of everyone." Tony said. Steve argued with him, and that whole argument went on for a good while before Natasha turned to Ava.

"What are you going to do?" she asked.

"I'm not signing those." Ava replied.

"Why not?"

"Because if I sign them, I'm going into the adoption system immediately. either that or they're just going to lock me up because it doesn't make sense for a _normal_ family to have to deal with my baggage." she said. "Also, I'm not going to be able to sign anyway. I'm a kid so my decisions are invalid." she said bitterly, getting up and leaving.

"Ava, we can figure out any legal constrictions easily." Tony said.

"Right, with your never ending expanse of money. Can your money make people stop underestimating me? No? Then I don't want it." she said.

"Didn't your mother ever tell you it's rude to walk away from a conversation?" Tony asked.

She visibly stiffened and turned around. "I don't have a mother."

"Don't have one or lost one?" Natasha asked.

"Don't need one, never had one. She died giving birth to me. Never knew my dad. I was raised by my brother. He died when I was 7. He was 16." she said, and for the first time, all of the avengers could see pain and vulnerability on her face. Then her mask went up again and she was back to normal. "I don't like to be controlled. Not that it matters to anyone." she said.

"Ava, wait." Steve said.

"Yes?"

"Why are you really not signing it?" he asked.

"Because by the time we wait for the UN to do anything, the damage will be done and there will be nothing we can do." she said, shrugging.

"If there's a need for action they're not going to sit back and ignore it." Tony argued.

"Really? Because the way it sounds to me, they're looking at the short term. Yes people have died, but that's just how life works. Everyone dies. The world just needs to grow up." she said.

"Ava, you need to sign this." Tony insisted.

"Are you saying I don't have a choice?" she asked.

"Technically you didn't have a choice to begin with, but yes. If you care about the safety of the world, then you have to sign it." Tony said.

"I'm leaving." she snapped, walking out and slamming the door so hard it broke off the hinges. Steve could hear Ross saying something to her when a loud smack could be heard by all in the room. He walked back in the room looking pissed with a flaming red handprint on his face.

"What did you do?" Natasha asked.

"I told her she doesn't have to worry about signing it because her signature is invalid anyway." he said.

Natasha laughed dryly. "I'm not surprised she slapped you."

"Well, this is why we need rules. She's a child, yet she's a part of the team that's expected to protect us from alien dangers." Ross said.

"I agree." Tony said.

"Are you kidding me?" Steve asked. He and Ava have a close relationship. He's like an older brother figure to her.

"No Cap, I'm not." Tony replied. "Not because I don't think she's capable or because I think she's stupid, but because she's too young to be risking her life every day."

"I was already risking my life everyday, thank you very much. Thanks for everything guys. I'll see you again some day." she said, a bag slung over her shoulder. She looked very similar to the way she did when she arrived. She was wearing a tight black tank top with a black leather jacket on top of ripped skinny jeans and combat boots. Her hair was down, as it always is, except now it's dyed electric blue at the bottom, fading into navy, then to her normal black.

She turned around and started leaving when Ross interrupted her. "I'm afraid you can't leave. You don't have a guardian. You're a powered individual. By leaving, you're becoming a criminal." he said.

She rolled her eyes. "Good luck catching me. I've avoided goddamn Hydra for 14 years." She said.

"Ross, she's a kid. Let her leave." Tony said. And that's when Ava blew her top.

"Stop saying that! I want you all to treat me the way you would treat anyone else. I'm 16. I'll be a goddamn criminal. But for the record, if I'm becoming a criminal because I don't have a guardian, then you should reconsider. I've managed without one so far." she snapped.

"Just stay. Please." Steve asked. "Just for a little while."

"Fine. Just for a little while." she said, plopping down in a chair once more. "You're an idiot Stark." she said, examining her nails.

"Excuse me?"

"You're excused."

"It's an expression."

"I know."

"Then why did you take it literally?"

"Because I freaking can Stark. Or am I not allowed to do that either?"

"Ava. Stop it."

"You can't tell me what to do. You're not my dad." she said coldly.

"I know." He replied.

(LATER)

"There's no way I can sign that." Steve said to Sam.

"I'm not signing it either." Sam agreed.

Ava sat there looking at all of the older Avengers argue. She had resigned herself to the fact that her opinions and words don't matter. So wordlessly, she vaporized herself and solidified outside, except this time she had wings. She smiled slightly. The other Avengers don't know about this part of her. It's a result of Hydra's experiments. Clint had been on a mission there when he found her and brought her to Avengers Tower.

She tucked her wings and spun in a circle, laughing. Then she spread them again, going straight up. Then she folded them and barreled straight down, vaporizing once again just before she hit the ground.

She solidified on top of the compound, sitting down and staring at the sky.

"Hey Max. I miss you a lot. I don't know where you are, or if you can hear me, but-" she broke off, taking a deep breath. "I don't know what to do. I have nowhere else to go but I can't stay here anymore. I'm going to some sort of prison anyway." she said. "Why did you leave? I know it wasn't your fault, and I know you wouldn't have if you had the choice, but I just can't do this anymore." she said, a single tear rolling down her cheek.

She quickly wiped it away, hating herself for crying. "I'm so stupid." she muttered.

She sat there, staring at the sky, talking to her dead brother, however silly it seems, and just wishing he was with her now.

"I love you." she said quietly, before getting up and wiping her tears and getting rid of her wings. She vaporized herself and then reformed without wings, because that's just how it works.

She vaporized once more and rematerialized in the room where everyone else was still arguing. She knew they wouldn't miss her absence. But then Steve gave a her a look that says they'll talk about it later, and she rolled her eyes.

"Yo. Guys. Anyone want dinner?" she asked, cutting the uncomfortable silence that had formed, everyone glaring at one another.

They all looked at her. "What?" Tony asked.

"Dinner. Food. You know, that thing necessary for survival?"

"Okay. She's right. We should eat." Natasha said.

"I'm always right." she replied, smirking, attempting to lighten the mood. It didn't work.

(LATER)

"Ava, where did you go?" Steve asked her.

"Nowhere."

"Clearly you went somewhere." he said, giving her a look.

"It doesn't matter." she said.

"Yes it does." he replied. "We need to know you're safe."

"Why? Because I'm a kid?" she asked bitterly.

"Because you're our friend and we don't want you to get hurt." He said.

"Well I can take care of myself Steve." she told him.

"But you don't have to. Where did you go?" he asked again.

"I was just hanging out on the roof." she said.

I He raised an eyebrow. "How'd you get up there?"

"I vaporized. How else?" she lied. She felt bad lying, but she also didn't care.

(AFTER STEVE FINDS OUT PEGGY'S DEAD)

Steve walked back into the room, his eyes puffy and bloodshot, as though he had been crying.

"Wow rogers. I didn't think I could make you cry." Tony said.

Steve didn't even roll his eyes or give a sarcastic comment in return. He just stared at the wall. After a few seconds he spoke. "Peggy just died. In her sleep."

A heavy silence fell over the room. Steve just walked right out, not waiting to see their reactions.

Natasha sighed. "I'm going to go talk to him."

"That's not a good idea. Just leave him alone for a while." Ava muttered. "Let him grieve."

"We're not going to let him wallow in misery. Not when we have serious issues to discuss." Tony said.

"That stupid UN conference can wait. Peggy just died. He just found out."

"I can't just tell a bunch of politicians and government officials to postpone." Tony argued.

"The hell you can't. Do you know what it's like, to lose somebody you care about? I didn't stop crying for weeks."

"My parents died in 91." Tony replied.

"Then you of all people should understand. Leave him alone. For god's sake, I thought you had a heart." she snapped.

"Don't accuse me of not having a heart when you're the one who's okay with thousands of people dying because of our carelessness."

"I'm not okay with it. If there was a legitimate way to stop it, I would be all for it. These accords? Stupid. They only serve to turn us into weapons for the UN. And the UN panel is made up of rich socialites, if you hadn't noticed, much like yourself. They don't actually care about these people, just the loss of their available workforce that means less income for themselves. Everything and everyone is corrupt."

"God. Who hurt you?" Tony asked.

"Hah. I was kidnapped by Hydra for seven years. Then I'm rescued by shield. And then I find out shield is actually Hydra. Why don't you tell me?" she asked, rolling her eyes.

"This isn't SHIELD. This is the _UN_."

"I don't care what it is or what you call it. Everyone has an agenda."

"That includes us, I assume?" He questioned.

"Yeah, except our agenda doesn't have anything to do with money." she said. The others were looking back and forth between the two. One was a rich, well educated, middle aged man. The other was a teenage girl who never had money and had never gone to school. It was an interesting debate.

"Ava- what's your last name? It lacks emphasis without the last name."

"My dad abandoned me. I don't use his name. _Sorry_." she said, rolling her eyes.

"Do you know it?"

"Yes. I know it. I wish I didn't."

"Why?"

"Why? Because I just happen to know him better than I ever wanted to."

"What does that even mean?"

"It means he's a freaking Hydra agent and he didn't even recognize me as he was _torturing me_." she said, getting up and leaving, slamming the door behind her. Then suddenly she popped her head back in. "And by the way, I'm his spitting image." Then she was gone again, slamming the door once more.

They sat in silence for a few seconds. "How messed up can her life possibly get?" Sam asked, shaking his head.

"Friday, who is Ava's dad?"

"There are no records of her anywhere in the system. She doesn't have a birth certificate or anything to certify her existence."

"No social security number? Nothing?"

"That's what no records means." The AI responded.

"No need for sass. Jeez, i didn't think AIs could pick up behavioral traits from moody teenage girls."

Suddenly Tony's phone rang. It was Ava.

"Stark. Put me on speaker."

"Okay…" He did as she said.

"I heard that. I am not a moody teenager. I am just a teenager. And that means nothing, it's just a term to define my age."

"It also defines the hormones making you go insane."

"Well I have a surplus of those, because of FREAKING HYDRA. And you asked who hurt me. Pssh." she scoffed, hanging up.

"She is the gift god sent down from the heavens to counteract tony stark's attitude." Natasha said, laughing.

(THE NEXT DAY)

"Steve, you have to go." Ava told Steve, looking at him intensely.

"I don't know. I have to choose between my new friends and my old best friend who always looked out for me. He's basically my brother." Steve replied, wringing his hands.

"You don't realize how much you love your brothers until you lose them. Now go. Save your brother before you lose the chance." she said, for once serious.

Steve nodded. "I'm going. But Ava? Don't let anyone tell you your opinions don't matter. Especially not Ross." he said, and then he left.

Ava stared out the window, annoyed at herself for letting her emotions get the best of her.

" _Ava, it's okay to feel sad sometimes, okay? Sometimes you feel like crying, and that's okay." Max told a six year old Ava._

" _No. No it's not. That's weak. They can't think I'm weak." Ava replied, struggling not to cry._

" _You're the strongest person I know."_

" _I'm stupid." Ava mumbled in reply. "I can't be sad. Being sad is bad." Max just looked at her sadly._

Sometimes Ava does feel like crying, but it's not okay. It is weak. She can never look weak. She has to be strong. When she was younger, she was very thin and not very physically strong, but she tried to help out wherever she could. She was too young to get food, too weak to build shelter. So she aspired to be better.

She hid away her emotions. She built up muscle. She tried to make herself look older, by hanging from tree branches to make herself taller.

And now, now Ross and Tony and Natasha and Vision and T'Challa are all telling her she's too young, too dumb, too naive to understand the situation and make an educated decision. That she's too weak to handle the hard facts. That she's letting her emotions get the best of her.

She grit her teeth, got up, grabbed her bag, and walked out of her room, towards the edge of the compound. Then suddenly she got electrocuted, a sharp, stabbing pain.

She gave the nearest security camera the finger and walked straight through it, this time not struggling, as she knew it was coming.


	3. Chapter 3

**I'm so sorry for the long wait! Here's the next chapter, hope you all enjoy! :)**

(SHARON AND STEVE KISSING SCENE)

Steve walked back to the car, trying to ignore his friends approving smirks. Then he noticed somebody else in the back seat, next to Bucky.

"Ava?" he asked, getting in the car.

"That was so cute oh my god. I ship it so hard. Do you even understand how long I've been waiting for this to happen? For you to kiss anyone?! You're practically a kissing virgin." she said, grinning.

Steve turned around to face her. "I'll have you know I'm not a kissing virgin."

"Not anymore." Sam added.

"I was on tour with 50 girls. What do you think happened?" Steve asked.

"ewwwww Steve I didn't need to know that." Ava said.

"You brought it up." he replied.

"I'm so excited. What's your ship name? Sheve? Staron? Captain 13?" she threw out.

"They're all terrible." Sam said.

"You know, I ship you with Natasha more that Sharon."

"What?!" Steve asked.

"It's so cute." Ava said.

"Wait. Me and Natasha?" Steve asked, red.

"Romanogers. Did you not know about this?" Ava asked.

"No!"

"You love her. Don't even deny it."

"Oh my god. You're such a teenager." Steve muttered.

"You say it like it's a bad thing." Ava replied, laughing. Then she disappeared.

"What the hell. We could've used some help." Sam muttered.

(AIRPORT BATTLE SCENE)

Steve, Bucky, and Sam were waiting at the airport for Clint to get back. They had no idea where Ava had gone, and any efforts to find her had been futile. Not that they put in much effort, a fact that Steve was ashamed of. They were so caught up in the moment that nobody noticed her leave. Afterwards, they were so busy trying to keep themselves hidden that they didn't try looking for her that much.

Clint then arrived in a truck, with Wanda and Scott Lang in tow. They exchanged greetings, and then suddenly out of nowhere, Ava landed next to them, and she had wings. Large light gray wings that looked elegant, and somehow fitting on her.

But then they blinked and they disappeared, leaving everyone to wonder if they had imagined it.

She looked at them. "I thought you could use my help. They're on their way here now."

"They won't see this coming." Sam said.

"Who's he by the way?" Ava asked, gesturing to Bucky.

"Ava, this is James Buchanan Barnes. Bucky, this is Ava." He introduced.

"You have a metal arm? Sweet." Ava said, nodding approvingly.

Bucky stayed silent, giving her a look. "Okayyyyyy." she muttered.

(LATER)

"They're not slowing down. What do we do?"

"We fight." Steve said.

Everyone ran at one another, and Cap's team had one more.

Then Ava charged at Spider-boy. She had heard his voice, and decided that he's a boy, probably younger than her. Not a man. The voice sounded vaguely familiar but she couldn't put a finger on it.

"Ava?" he asked her, shocked. He pulled off his mask and she stared at him.

"Peter?" she asked. "What happened to you?"

"It's a long story. Do we have to fight?" he asked.

She rolled her eyes. "I'll go easy on you spidey." she said.

"I can take it." he said, smirking.

"We'll see." she replied. He shot some webbing at her, and she was startled, but then she smirked and vaporized. "I'm a shapeshifter now." she said.

"Yeah? I'm kinda like a spider, except you know, I still look human." he said.

"Hmmmm. I don't really want to fight you. Let's just avoid each other. Deal?" Ava said.

"Deal." he agreed. "But you're on the wrong side."

"I'm on the right side." she argued.

"That's not what Mr. Stark told me."

"Did Tinman also tell you you're opinions don't matter because you're a minor?" she sniped back.

"No he didn't. He said that I'm the future." Peter replied.

"Oh that little- give me the earpiece." she said. He did, confused.

"You sexist jerk! We're both kids, for god's sake he's even younger than me! But he's the future, and I'm an insignificant minor?!" she yelled.

"Listen. It's not like that." Tony tried to object. He was having a difficult time fighting Ava. They had all come to view her as a little sister figure. His whole reasoning is that he wants her to sign the accords, but more than anything, he wants her to be safe.

"It isn't about me. It's about you. You can't accept that you're wrong." she yelled, then she handed the earpiece back to Peter.

"I'm going to beat the crap out of him." she growled.

"Mr. Stark? She's kind of about to beat the crap out of you. Her words not mine! But you'll be fine, right?"

"I can take her." he said.

Then Ava vaporized and reappeared 100 feet in the air, her wings spread. She dived down and punched him, hard.

He groaned and looked at her, his eyes wide. "Since when did you have wings?" he asked.

"For a while now. But I don't matter right?" she asked, punching him again. This time he blocked her punch and aimed one of his lasers at her.

She avoided it and swiped a wing at him, and the strength of it took him by surprise and he flew back. Then, she had vaporized and reappeared behind him.

But behind her was Rhodey, who was ready to attack her.

Then it was two on one, and she was barely holding her own. Then suddenly, as she was above the both of them, she made herself into metal and grabbed both of their arms, wrenching them downward as she fell like a brick, now twenty times heavier.

Just as she was about to hit the ground, she changed herself back and landed gently, while Tony and Rhodey ended up with many cracks in their armor.

She then looked around and saw Steve and Bucky heading for the quinjet. She saw everyone else being rounded up, and she decided that she'll come back for them. She vaporized and let the wind carry her away, at least for now.

(LATER, RED ROOM SUSPENSION TANKS)

Ava flew in to the former soviet base, running towards the sound of fighting. She had seen t'challa outside and trusted him to do what had to be done.

She saw tony and Steve fighting, Steve having the upper hand until Tony suddenly came back with a vengeance.

She also saw Bucky lying on the floor, almost but not quite unconscious, his arm ripped off.

"Hey. Are you okay?" she asked.

He groaned. "Just make sure Steve wins." he said.

She got up and ran up behind tony, grabbing him with metal hands and pulling him backwards off of Steve.

In the middle of things he didn't realize it was her, and shoved her out of the way again, her body slamming against the wall. She grimaced and didn't stop, getting in their way again.

"Hey!" she yelled. "Stop!" she said, squeezing right in between them, forcing them both to cease. She glared at tony, who was staring at her with those glowing blue slits, and then she glared at Steve, who was also staring.

"You need to move." Tony said.

"No can do steel boy." she muttered. "Look, you two can talk later."

"You need to move." Steve repeated.

"Look at that! You both agreed on something!"

"Ava. Move. I won't ask again." Tony said.

"Try moving me." she said as she turned into heavy solid gold, her fists up and ready to go.

"Don't you remember your brother? How would you feel if someone you considered a friend knew who killed him and didn't tell you? How could you forget him so fast?" Tony asked, his mask opening to reveal his face. He was hoping this would but him sympathy, because he could really use her in his side.

Instead she punched him in the face, hard, her hand still metal. "You idiot." She punched him again. "I haven't forgotten anything." She continued, landing a kick in his side, pushing him backwards. "I think you've forgotten how to be a human, you've spent so long in that goddamn suit." she hissed, roundhouse kicking him back into a wall. Then his mask went back up and he blasted her out of the way.

She groaned and got up, seeing Steve and Tony fighting each other even more furiously now, both of them bloody. "Stop it!" Ava yelled.

"He killed my mom." Tony said, gritting his teeth and continuing to fight.

"He didn't know what he was doing!" she protested.

"And Steve knew, and didn't tell me."

"Can't you just talk this out?" she demanded, getting in front of him, trying to block them from each other.

Steve pushed her to the side against the wall. "Stay out of this. You'll just get hurt." He said.

Tony was powering up his laser beam. She knew he was. And Steve raised his shield last minute in defense and the result was explosive.

Ava was thrown against the wall and she groaned in pain. She touched her shoulder and looked at her hand. Bloody.

She grit her teeth again and stood up, walking up to them as they were holding their ground. She was sick of getting thrown to the side.

She saw Bucky unconscious with his arm on the floor and she got mad.

she walked up to the two men and turned herself into vibranium, getting in between them, and instantly the laser ceased.

"What do you think you're doing?!" Tony demanded.

"What do you two think you're doing?" she asked in return. "Stop fighting."

"That man killed my parents and Steve knew. He knew and he didn't tell me. I'm not going to stop." Tony said, glaring murderously.

"He was brainwashed Tony! And what was I supposed to tell you?!" Steve replied.

"That your best friend killed my mother." Tony hissed, going at him again.

She pushed him back and then a gunshot rang out. From where, they didn't know, but she fell. She slumped down, blood pouring out of her.

They both started panicking. Steve felt for a pulse, and it was there, but it was weak.

Then he looked at Tony angrily. "This is your fault." he said, attacking again.

"It's not my fault. It's your fault. If you had just told me in the first place we wouldn't be having this problem."

"Shut up! Just stop talking Tony. You're wrong! You were wrong about Ultron, and you were wrong about the accords, and you're wrong about this." Steve said on return.

And they continued fighting until Steve managed to jam his shield into Tony's arc reactor, disabling his suit.

He stood up shakily and looked between the two people he had to get help for. Bucky and Ava. He could only take one with him and he needed to act fast.

He knew that Tony would help Ava if he didn't, but Bucky would be thrown in jail or killed. So he made the logical decision and hoped Ava would forgive him.

He grabbed Bucky and began to walk out when Tony called out to him. "Your don't deserve that shield. My father made that." he said spitefully.

Steve, knowing he was right, dropped the shield into the snow.

(ONE WEEKLATER)

Ava woke up in her room in Avengers tower, but something wasn't right. She was connected to machines and her shoulder hurt like hell. And she didn't like being attached to machines. Not one bit.

She is terrified of doctors and lab coats and needles, something Bruce quickly found out.

"Friday?" she asked.

"Hello Ms. Ava. Should I notify Mr. Stark that you are conscious?"

"Wait. Where is everybody else?"

"Nobody is quite sure. We are under the assumption that Captain Rogers is the one who broke all the other avengers out of prison. Ms. Romanoff remains MIA." the AI responded.

"Who's here?"

"Colonel Rhodes, Vision, mr. Stark, and yourself."

she nodded absently, her anxiety slowly rising the longer she remained attached to the wires. She pulled them out of herself hastily and stood up, exiting her room.

She went down to the common room and saw Vision pacing back and forth.

"Ava! You're awake." he said, surprised. "You should stay in bed. You've been unconscious for a week." he said.

"I'm fine." She replied.

"Ava, when did you wake up?" Tony asked, walking out. He looked tired. Very tired.

"A few minutes ago." she replied.

"You really shouldn't get up. And you shouldn't have taken the wires out. And-"

"Yeah yeah I get it." she muttered.

"No need for attitude." he replied, raising his eyebrows.

"I got shot because you and Steve were fighting for no good reason."

His eyes darkened. "Do you even understand what that felt like? To find out someone who was living with you knew how your parents died and didn't tell you?" he asked.

"Do you know what it's like to not have parents?" She countered.

"It's not about that. It's about trust."

"And when ultron happened? Didn't you break their trust? And didn't they forgive you?"

"That's different. This is personal." he argued.

"Whatever Tony. It's not entirely your fault. It's just mostly your fault."

"Well thanks." Tony muttered.

She sat on the couch and sighed. "So you have no idea where anyone is?"

"No clue. And I don't want to know." he said, sitting down on the couch over.

"Why not?"

"Then I'm obligated to turn them in. I don't really want to do that."

"Wow. You have a heart."

"You're so rude."

"It's part of my charm." she said.

"Very charming." he said dryly.

"Why thank you." she said, smiling. Then she frowned. "So Steve just left me there?"

Tony winced. "He had to choose between you and Barnes. I wasn't about to throw you in jail for life, so he chose to take Barnes." he said.

"Oh." she said.

"How are you feeling?"

"I'm fine." she said immediately. She's never admitted to not being fine. Not once. It's just habit for her to say she's okay and move on.

It's not like she had a voice most of the time.

"You're not. You look ghostly." he said.

"I said I'm fine." she snapped.

"And I said, you're not." he replied. "Come on. You have to drink water and eat something." he said.

She rolled her eyes but got up and followed him anyway.

(ONE MONTH LATER)

Ava was out getting food because she wanted junk food, when suddenly a bag was pulled over her head in the parking lot. She screamed but the sound was muffled.

She felt herself being lifted into something else and she kicked and punched randomly, trying to fight her way out.

She felt her fist connect with skin and she heard a grunt of pain. She was put down and the bag was removed from her head.

She was in a plane. And in front of her were people she hadn't seen in over a month.

It was everyone. Including Natasha and Bucky. The first thing she did was go up to Steve and slap him. Hard.

"Excuse me?"

"You left me with tony." she said.

"He was going to help you get better. He wasn't going to help him. I had to make a fast choice."

She raised her eyebrows. "That is the worst excuse I've ever heard. Do you want to know what it's like, living with a crazy scientist, a war veteran, and a robot? There's nobody to talk to. Ever." she complained.

"It couldn't have been that bad." Natasha said, smirking.

"I got my period for the first time ever. Vision explained it to me. And all that we had were tampons that pepper had left behind. And I had to use it. And I was scared, no, I was freaking out, and I thought I was dying, because nobody bothered to inform me that that was going to happen, and it was just bad." she said.

"The first time? Really?" Wanda asked.

"Hydra messed with my hormones." Ava said nonchalantly.

"Well I'm sorry about that." Steve said.

"I'm mad at you." she said, glaring.

He shrugged. "Okay."

"No. You should be mad that I'm mad at you. For god's sake. Why can't you just get mad like a normal human person?"

"She's been spending too much time with Stark." Sam muttered under his breath.

"And whose fault is that?" she asked, crossing her arms.

"You'll get over it eventually." Steve said.

"That's highly presumptuous of you." Ava replied, raising her eyebrows.

"That's too much time with Vis." Wanda said.

"Oh for god's sake." she said, rolling her eyes. "I know you contacted Tony. I heard the message." she said, narrowing her eyes at Steve.

"And?"

"And what's wrong with you? You're usually not this . . . Sassy." she said, looking at him skeptically.

"Too much time with Natasha." Clint said, laughing.

Steve glared at him. "Yeah. And where were you?" Ava asked Natasha.

"That's not important."

"And why are you guys still in hiding?"

"We're fugitives."

"So am I."

"Yet here you are, in public, buying junk food." Sam said.

"How do you even eat that stuff?" Steve asked.

"Excuse you. Poptarts are delicious. And so are Oreos."

"She needs to meet Thor." Clint said, grinning.

"The god of thunder likes poptarts?" Ava asked.

"He loves them. He goes through at least 3 boxes a day when he's here."

"Well we'll get along great."

"So how are you?" Sam asked.

"I'm fine. I was unconscious for a week and then I woke up and everything was fine and dandy." she said. "What about you?"

"Steve and Bucky broke us out of jail and then Wanda and Clint went to the farm and moved Laura and the kids to a new safe house. Scott went back to his family. The rest of us went to Wakanda. Then Steve left for a while to go find Natasha. Then he found her, they came back to Wakanda a few days ago, we gathered everyone, and then we came and got you." He said.

"Oh. How did you know where I would be?" she asked.

"You don't make an effort to hide yourself." Steve said. "In fact, it's like you want to be noticed."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"You have neon blue hair."

"Stop hating on my blue hair. I like it. I don't care if you like it. Now leave it alone." she said.

"I'm just saying, it's not exactly the best when you're a spy." he said.

"That's why I'm not a spy. And besides. I can vaporize into air. I don't need my hair to be stealthy."

"Don't you? We found you in five minutes."

"I wasn't trying to hide."

"Well are you going to be trying to hide when somebody is after you and you have no idea?"

"That's dumb."

"You of all people know it's not."

"Whatever."

"And I'm right."

"Whatever."

"You can't say whatever."

"Whatever, Steve."

Steve was about to say something back when Sam got in between them.

"Steve. She's a moody teenager. Don't argue with her. And Ava, he's right."

"You know, Steve never had a moody teenager stage, so I think it's just coming out now." Bucky said, grinning.

"Tell me more about infant Steve. I have nothing to blackmail him with." Ava said, smirking.

"Of course. So when Steve fancied Peggy, it was the most hilarious thing ever. He had no clue what he was doing. He also didn't have a clue that Peggy liked him back, so it was just a big mess."

"You should've seen Bucky's face when she wanted to talk to me and just blew him off." Steve replied.

"And then when Nat ignored both of us! That was the best." Bucky said, laughing. Steve's eyes widened.

"You knew somebody who you also called Nat? What a crazy coincidence." Clint said, laughing nervously.

Ava looked at them confused. "What is going on?"

"Yeah, what is going on Steve? Clint? Bucky?" Natasha asked.

"Okay. I guess we're doing this now." Steve muttered.

"You might want to sit down." Clint said.

"Natasha, you're pretty much the same age as Bucky and I. A few years younger."

"Steve, I'm only a year younger than you two technically." Natasha said, rolling her eyes, although nobody had any doubt she knew what he meant.

"No, I mean you're 90 something." Steve said.

She rolled her eyes again. "Come on Steve. I think your memory is fading in your old age."

"His memory is fine." Bucky said. "You and Peggy were pretty much inseparable."

"We rescued you from the red room during the war. You helped Peggy form shield and you were there the whole time. The red room captured you again and brainwashed you a few years before I came out of the ice. That's why Clint went easy on you. It was his mission, to bring you back."

"That's impossible." Natasha said shortly. "I would be 100 right now."

"You had an altered version of the widow serum. It slowed down your aging process for 70 years. When the red room captured you the second time, those effects were lessened. You aged 6 years in the time I was frozen. Now your aging is pretty much the same as mine."

"Why don't I remember any of it?" she asked, not showing any emotion.

"They brainwashed you. We haven't been able to undo it's effects. We had hoped meeting Steve might help with that. And then meeting Peggy. None of it helped." Clint said.

There was a heavy silence in the plane. Nobody knew what to say.

"You found me with the red room?"

"Yes."

"How?"

"What do you mean?" Steve asked.

"I mean, how did you find me? What state was I in?"

Steve winced. Bucky sighed. "A bad one. You had lost a fight."

Natasha cursed under her breath. Losing a fight meant punishment. Brutal punishment. Punishment where you end up bleeding, sometimes dying from blood loss.

"Wow. So I guess romanorogers was meant to be." Ava said, trying to lighten the mood. "I mean, you're both ancient."

Bucky smiled. "Yeah. It didn't happen back then because Steve was with Peggy and Natasha was Peggy's best friend. Would never have worked out. Now though-"

"Bucky." Steve said.

"Romanorogers!" Ava said, high-fiving Bucky.

"Same!" Sam said, adding his hand.

"Dude. No." Ava said, giving Sam a look.

"How much did I tell you?" Natasha asked suddenly, the slightest hint of panic in her voice.

"Not- not too much." Steve said, hesitating.

"You liar. Tell me." Natasha said, crossing her arms and getting in his face.

"Natasha-"

"Tell me Steve. Tell me now." she said, glaring.

"No. Not here. Not now. You told me that in confidentiality for a reason." he said.

"Does it look like I care?"

"You don't remember it so of course you don't care. But believe me, you will once I tell you."

Natasha stared him down and he stared right back, not wavering.

"This is too intense for me." Sam muttered.

"Does anyone have popcorn?" Ava whispered.

"You're so weird." Sam said.

"I am not. We are witnessing the first ever romanorogers fight." she said.

"Can you not talk for once?" Natasha snapped. Ava gave her a look.

"Don't give me attitude."

"That's hilarious, coming from you."

"I use attitude as a coping mechanism. What's your excuse?"

"I'm annoyed by you."

"The feeling is mutual." Ava muttered.

"Do you want to know what your problem is? You think you can't be weak and all that, but you are. You don't think all of us haven't gone through what you've gone through or more? But you pretend it never even happened. You can't even accept it." Natasha said.

"Natasha, don't." Clint muttered.

"I don't care what you think of me. Your opinions don't really matter and I don't give two craps if you think I'm weak." Ava said, crossing her arms.

"It's not my opinion. It's fact. And I don't get why you think you can push everyone away and be outwardly rude to everyone and get away with it. Nobody cares, Ava. Newsflash."

"You're just mad that I handle it so much better than you do. You're mad that even if you think you're gotten past it, something else comes up. And you can't deal with me already being over it." Ava said. "And people do care."

"No they don't. Nobody cares. Nobody cares about you, or me, or any of us. Except for Clint, none of us have families. None of us have friends. It's about time you learned that." Natasha said.

Ava looked at her. "You're just sad, and miserable. You have friends. You just don't want them. It's about time you learned that." she replied.

"Get over yourself. Nobody here gives a damn. They waited a month to find you. Steve left you there."

"Because I was safe with Tony. It worked out anyway."

"That's not what you said a few minutes ago."

"What's wrong with you?!" Ava asked, getting in her face. "Do you have a problem with me?"

"Yes. I do."

"What then? What have I done to you?"

"You're so naive. You think you know life. You don't. There is nobody in this world who cares about you. There's no need to be rude and make them show it outwardly." Natasha said.

Ava glared at her, then opened the plane door while it was flying. She spread her wings and took off without another word.

"Natasha. What the hell was that?" Steve asked.

"You're just as naive as her." she said.

"Why did you say that to her?" Sam asked, shaking his head.

"Because it's about time she realized that the world doesn't give a damn." Natasha said, walking away into the cockpit.

Steve followed her. She was silent for a few minutes before speaking up. "You never answered my question. How much did I tell you?"

"Most of it. Natasha, it wasn't pretty. I don't know if you even want me to tell you."

"It's my past. I should be the one choosing for myself if I want to remember it." she said coldly.

"I'll tell you if you really want to know." he said, looking at her. "But I don't think you do."

"You know what, you're right. I don't want to know. I don't want to know how the red room tortured me for years. I don't want to know about my actual past, I don't want to have my memories back that the KGB stole from me. You're right Steve. Are you happy now?" she asked, eerily calm.

"You know that's not what I meant." Steve said.

"Do I? Clearly I don't know anything." Natasha replied, not looking at him.

"Nat- all I meant was that you should really think about it. Just say the word and I'll tell you everything you told me. But think about it first."

"Fine." she said. "I'll think about it. Where are we headed?"

"The Barton farm. Natasha, why would you say that to Ava?" he asked.

"It's the truth. I accepted it a long time ago and it's so frustrating to me that it's going to take her just as long as it took me to realize that. So I shortened the time frame."

"You really think nobody cares?"

"Yes, Steve. I do. You all think you care, but in the end it's everyone for themselves."

"No. that's not how it is. Okay? I risked my life to come find you because I didn't know if you were safe. Do you really think I would do that if it were every man for himself?"

"Who knows? It's always possible."

"Well I did it because I genuinely care about you. Not for any other reason. And you think Clint doesn't care about you? His kids call you Aunty Nat. His kids. You met his kids before any of us ever did. Because he trusts you and cares about you. And you didn't have a family so he let you become a part of his."

Natasha looked at him. "You remember when I told you love is for children? Well so is this. People just don't have it in them to care about others. We're all selfish and only live to further our own agendas, myself included." she said quietly.

"That's not true."

"Isn't it?"

"This whole fight happened because Zemo cared about his dead family. Because t'challa cared about his father. Because tony cared about his parents. Because I cared about Bucky."

"Steve. You can't change my mind about this. It's never going to happen."

"That doesn't mean I'm going to stop trying."

"Good luck with that."

"I'll convince you of it one day. I promise."

"You have a bad habit of making promises you can't keep."

"I have a bad habit of keeping promises everyone thinks I can't keep. And this one is no different."

"If you say so." Natasha muttered.


End file.
